1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to durable polymer sleeves which provide a non-abrasive surface for synthetic line on the rope contacting surfaces of various types of equipment. More specifically, the invention pertains to durable protective sleeves for the rope contacting surfaces on a marine deck or dock which reduce the wear on synthetic lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Marine vessels typically rely on ropes to hold them securely on a dock. For over 150 years, the marine industry has been using wire rope to make its barge-to-barge, boat-to-barge, and mooring connections. Although wire rope is strong, it can be very dangerous for the marine worker because it is heavy and retains memory that creates uncontrolled and unpredictable stored energy. For example, wire rope can become fouled and/or bird nested when wound onto a winch drum. This can lead to injuries related to quickly released slack from the rope while manually releasing or tightening the winch drum, and specifically injuries to the worker's arms and hands while handling the rope to “free” and re-spool it properly. Further, the memory and kinks in the wire rope significantly weaken the strength and viability of the wire when stored in a wound state for any length of time.
As the wire ropes deteriorate over time due to fatigue, corrosion, abrasion, mechanical damage, and overheating, they become even more dangerous to work with. Broken strands of wire and frayed wire can lead to lacerations and wounds on the hands, arms and legs of the marine worker. Furthermore, such damage significantly weakens the strength and viability of the wire creating the possibility of additional dangers for the marine worker due to rope failure.
A recent solution to the aforementioned problems has been to use synthetic lines. Current boat-to-barge, barge-to-barge, and mooring connections all utilize deck and dock fittings intended to be used with wire rope. These fittings are most commonly made of cast steel that rusts, and contains burrs and sharp edged grooves, all of which create an abrasive surface and are non-conducive to use with synthetic line.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the prior art for deck and dock fittings, or durable covers for existing fittings, which are compatible with synthetic line.